Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Sept. 2, 1930. P. H. GEIGER' RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed June 20. 1928 i the amway.

Patented Sent. i2,

'l-I'AUL' ii lenienn, or; Antitheses; Macrame-it essienon Eco; THE tin-Ion se m-1a -?'1SIGNAL ooMrAnY,oF swrssva nn, ifENNSYLVANIAjl-i coRroRATIo OF-PENNSYL- 1YANIA nA 'LvJATTnerrIclgcon riaoicmncArrhenius means controlled hyiienergy received from -1 Willdescrihe mogr 'rm's of railway traflic' controll ng apparatusembody ng-any 1nyen ad. will jthenjpoint; out the' novel tea-' i f 7 ture's thereofin claims.

.10 c In the" aQQ O lPaIiying 'drawingslFig: 1 lis a diagrammatic .view} showing one for-1n of railway trafiic controlling apparatus embody;

ing in'y inv ention. Fig; Q isa ie'WLShOWing almo'dified form of aportion er .the an myinvention, v a

3 ,Sini la-r reference. characters refertosnn lar parts in 'bothviews. l

ratus illustratedin Fig, land also embody of "railway. traclaoyer which traiiic normally moves in thefdire ctio'nindicated-by the-arrow.

These rails arerlirtided;loy neans of insulated joints 2, into a plurality of;su'c'ce'ssfive track; sections only} one oi":'whfich r l?a ssho'wn complete in the drawing; *Traincontrfolling 1 current is supplied'to the rails of this se'ction' from suitable source of energy suchfas an alternator G1 {The current {supplied to the 3 0 trackyvayhy this alternator'inay; lee-of airequency of the order otthensnal commercial alternating current such, for example; as 6Q cycles 0r 100 cycles per second. v p v The supply of current to the track rails is i controlled by a codingfzdevice'dejsignated in general 'bythe reference character %'X',and compr s ng av plurality of rotatable cams each designatedby the reference charactercC' with y suitabledistinguishingexponent. Thecains C are driven at a constant-speed by a suit able motor 7, U Which is supplied Withcurrent' f from the alternatoiflG, Thecain C is plo- Videcl with a plurality of swells8 spaced about its periphery andhich swells successively engage a contact?) to periodically close the contact as'the cani C is rotated; In, similar rater G constantly connected with Referringfirstto Fig. l,thereferencechar! J 20 .acters l and 1 designatethe rails of a stretch 1 section other terminal of, the: alternator is connected With the rail c fil itliroug h on'evofthe contacts3, 4 'ori 5 depending upon traliic conditions. I

, j ltyis manifest that the alternating current supplied tothe rails of the trackway by the alternator G is periodically Varied at-the fre- -queiicylofoperation oi'it'he' contact of the-deyiceX that isinterpo'sed between the alternar toriand-the track rail 1 The codingdevice Xniay be constructed to cause such-variations atany reasonable frequencies, but for purposesof illustration, lwill'assu'ine that the cams-"Cirotate at 20 revolutions per minute',fl

that cain C hasiswells, that-cam C? has6 Y swells, and the cane C has 9 swells, The selection between the several contactsof the cod- 'ing device in accordance with-trafiic con- Clli'lOIlS may be accomplished in any suitable inannersueh, forexarnple asby ine'ansofa hon efrelay H and a distant relay E. --The cir l :cuits for:controilingthese two relaysfroinnfo V l j part of my present invention and are omitted from the drawing' forthe sake ,ofsiniplicity. For present purposes it is .siniicientto state that hon'ie relay H is normally energized but; d

gi jed but is dc-energized when a strain 00- i;is"dewenergized When 'a-tr'ain occupies the secftionfliininediatelyto the right of point '13.. The distant relay E is also normally ener- 'cupieseither the first orthe second section relays E andH are both energizedso that front Contact 6-43 ofrelay H and front con immediately to l the right oi point B. WVit h the apparatus as thus for described; when r tact 7'7 of relay E are closed cu'rrent from alternator G, which current I Will assume to";

the track'railsover contact 5 operated by Ca n be {of V-c'ycles per second, is'supplied to;

caily variedatxa fr'equeiicyof 180cycles per the proceed fcodev. Wh'enrelay H isener Jniinute;v "Current. supplied to the trackway under these. conditions I Will hereinaftercterm 95. j gized and relay E is tie-energized, the closing" f I ofhack contact 7+7"ofrelayEJincludesconl H; tact:4 controlled-byseani in thetr ekway, circuit and inder these conditionsthe track- I way is suppliedwith 100 eyclecurrent inter 9 ruptedi at a frequency, of 120 cycles per minute; this circuit-I shall hereinafter term the caution code. In similar manner when (relay II is tie-energized, the closing of back contact 6'6 -of this relay completes a circult from alternator G to the track rails 'throu gh contact 3 operated by cam {1 Under these conditions the tracl'away 1s b'llpplldtl With 100 cycle'current interrupted at a frequency of80 cycles per, minute, whichl will call the slow code.

A train, indicated diagrannnatically at V, is provided with a receiverdesignated in geneialby the reference character This receiver comprises two magnetizable cores 11 and 11", carried on the train in advance of the forward axle 10, and located in inductive relation with the two track railsl and '1, respectively; Core 11 1s provided with a winding 12 and core 11 isprovided witha winding 12 the twowindings being connected in series in suchmannerthat the electromotive forces induced therein by train controlling current flowing in opposite directions in the, track rail-sat any instant are additive. The windings 12 and '12 are connected 'in series Withfcondenser32' and the primary 33 of a transformer-N, to form a circuit S,vwhich I twospaced electrodes and36 enclosed in a sealed'envelepe filled with a suitable me 'dium such as: neon If an alternating clectroinotive force having a magnitude suf fi'ciently great is iinpressed across electrodes 3-1 and 36 of a tube of the typedescribcd the medium surrounding the electrodes becomes conducting an d a uni-directional current flowsfrom electrode toelectroce 36. The critical magnitude of the electroniotive' force essary to cause tube 1V to become conducting; however, is dependent upon the potential.

and-relative polarity of grid with respect to electrode 34 this critical'inaouitude decreasing as-the potential of grid increases 1 when the grid is positive with respect to electrode 34, but increasing the potential of grit '35 increases when the grid is negative *ith respectto electrode-3,4. Grid potential I is suppliedtotubeVV by the secondary 28 of fina transformer M the primaryxQQ of which is constantlysuppliedwith alternating current from an alternator L ata' frequency which is r preferably widely different from the frequency ofthe current'in the trackway. The g'iid circuit' for tube W also lIlClUQlQS a resistance 31'and the secondary 30 ef'transformer N. Secondary 27 of transformer M is connected across the electrodes 3st and 36 of tube W in series with relay R. hen no electrounotive force is induced in secondary 30 of transformer N, as when no train controlling current 1s being supphed to the track rail-s, the total electromotive force impressed on grid of tube is equal to the electromotive force impressed on the grid by secondary 28 of transformer M. The parts are so proportioned, that under. these conditions, tube N remains non-conducting and nocurrent flows in the circuit including relay R. Relay R- is therefore de-energized and back contact -15- of the relay is closed. ii Vhen train controlling current is being supplied to the track rails, however, the 100 cycle electromotive force induced in secondary of transformer N isadded to theelectromotive force induced in secondary 28'of transformer M,

and there are times during each cycle of the electromot ve force delivered by alternator L in which the potential of grid reaches a cally varierh-the frequency of variation being the same as the frequency of variation of the current suppliedto the rails. As a result, tube W beco 'nes conducting at the frequency of the current in the track rails, and relay R is operated at this frequency to alternately close its front and back contacts 1515 and T he operation of relay R may be improved in some instances by connecting across its terminals an The conductor P shunts the relay during the decrease of current through tube 'W, and in this manner smooths out the pulsations in the direct crgrent which is supplied to the relay wl cn' tube W is conducting.

"Associated with relay R is a transformer T compris up; a primary 16 and a secondary 17.

Lirect current is supplied to the primary 16 n of trzu'isformer T from a suitable source such of primary 16 in one direction, but when contact 15-15 is closed current flows from bat- D, through the upper half of primary 16 fin the opposite direction. It follows that asymmetrical conductor P.

er -mes hen reley R isopereted intermittently, the I current 111 primary.- 16. of tra'nsfoiunerT s V periodic-tiny reversed, ttrid reestziblisheel in the or g nal directionet the same frequencyias the periodic ,variz tionsain the gtreclrwey our p nt I 7 t vAs a-resul I primary of transformer/l thereiis induced yinthe secondary 17 zu 1elternating eleotromiotiye force of ejcor'respondi-ng frequency, Which electromotiveffo'roe is applied to a'f'plu Vrality of circuits Ieach designated by the ref- 1 erenee character: F WithQa distingu shing ex- 7 Iponent, ancl'each comprising a IBtICtOIfIlS and a condenser 1.9 by rneansof which the several circuits are tunedrespeotively to the frequen- CIQSYOf the varletionslln the train controlling current. Forexmnplg. circuit F? is. tuned to resonance at the frequency ofthe inter- I ruptions in the proceed code or, 180. -cycles per minute; i relayK? is-eonne'ctecl; across a portion of react-M18 of eireuitrF 'v through I a rectif er J3. c *Insiinilar mannenxcircu-it E 1s tuned to resonance at 120.cycl'e'spernnnute I and a relay IQ?- is connected across a portion of reactor 18 ofthiseircuitthroughj a rectifieriJ with e portionfof reactor 18 off eir-w Icuiti F which "cirouitis resonant et cycles per minute.-

In explaining the operationofthe appz ratus as .a whole ,I'Will' first assume that the proceed codef is gbeing' supplied; to the track- Way so that'theftrackwziy current is being interrupted at Ia .frequene y of 180 cycles per minute. Relay :Ritherefore operates et a rate of,180 cycles' per minute endelternating current of e rcorresponding frequencyis supc plied to "each of th'e circuits F. At this frequencycircuits F end'F? are detuned so that the electroinotive forces across these portions of reactorslSQof these circuits to which the correspondingreleys K {are connected are comparatively small. Circuit .i1s tuned to resonance at thisfrequency and the resonant rise of electroniotiye foir-ce. i'nclre mctor ls comparatively: large, I comparatively large electroinotiyefforce is therefore applied to rectifierJfl resultingin a eomparetiyely large current inthe relay K ,Vifh enthe train is receiving the proceed code, therefore," re- 7 lay K is energizedbutrelays If? and K are de-energize'dQ Under these renditions, current from battery D flows through front contact 242 P of relay K to light len pfllO,

' therebyldisplayinga proceed indication, H

I illnowessunije that, thefloaution code is being supplied to the trackwaysoflthet re-v ey' Bi rai s, t fr u cy 6 3 cy e v per second; 'rilternetingcurrent oi a corre-I v spondlng frequency is therefore supplied to the'circuits E byfsecondery 17- derangemer ,1. Under these; Seonditions the current supplied to relays K 'enscl 1K is, notf sun cient to energize the relays, but' sufiicientcur? t of this Qp' eriodie current in rentis supplied to velayKgto energize this 7 relay. Underthese conditions current from battery Dfiowsover back contact 24;24" of relay K? end front contact 25- 25 of relay K to lamp,:2 1',%thereby lighting this lamp to indicate caution;

Irigsimilztr manner ,w11en-t11e -slow' code is vbeingsuppliedto thetrsicl zwey relays K and tuned tojresonance at the frequency of the .K are both, tie-energized but cireuitfF is 1- current now supplied by secondary-'17 of transformer T so that} relay K is energized andourrent fronibettery ;D flows-rover beck 25 725 01 relay K and-front contest126 26 fore lighted I tofindicete' slow.

Ifsecton.A B were occu'pedby e-second train loosted between triin V and point B, train cont-r'olhng current' would be shunted, away from trainV,the Wheels and axles; 1

of such second train. Ase result relay B would be continuouslylde energized; If, for

this reesoni orfor anyotherreason, relay R should failto operate intermittently, the, sup

Vply of energy to alletherelay's' K would be discontun-ued and these 'releyswould' be open. Curren't would then-flow from battery D,

over backcontaet. 24lv2t or; relay K back c I contact 2525" of relay K and back contact I 7 i I ha-ve'described apparatus which only three codes to the trztckwzty and have shown trzun carried governing meens adept-- ed to distinguish only between these; three codes. It should be,understood,however that my invention is-not limited to this .num-

ber ofeodesbut that the equipment. could be expanded to,.zproyide additional code frequenciesend additionsltuned.circuitson the train to select between such frequencies.

Referringnow to-Fig; 2, I have shown'two 'c i grid vg loiytubeswlfi end IW'}, the tubes being arranged to xsupply relayR '\vithfzruni di 'reetionaleurrent from secondary '27 of. transformer M during both halves of veach. cycle when the tubes "are conducting; To zrccoin plish this result, the terminals of secondary of trensjforiner lvi ereconnec ted respectively With the electrodes '34 of tubes Wend NV};

and in similar manner thQ ilQXll'll-llitlS qOf seeis ondery 28 of transformerM are connected I ith'the gridsj 35, .ofthsetulgesg; Theeleetricel nidtepsof seconderies 27 and QSerec nneeted w thsecondary 3O ofstrensiornierlfl 1 through resistence gr ndedoublewere rectifienQL j;,One r relay Ris'con- E nested .yv ith the nudtep of secondary 27; and

V, to

the other terminal of relay R is connected with the electrodes of bothtubes, rectifier P being connected across the terminals of the relay, to smooth out the pulsations force in the curre 'it fwhen tl'ic tu force s L do motive force is induced in secondary 30, as

when no train controllingcurrent, is being supplied to the trackway, the total electromotive force impressed on the grids of tubes W and lVlby secondaries 27 and 2'8 is such that the tubes remain ,nonconducting and relay R is de-energized to close contact 15-'-15. WVhcn an electro'motive "force is induced in secondary 80, however, as when lOOcyclc train controlling'current'is being supplied to the track rails, the grid potentials of thetubes arebrought to values which render the tubes conducting, and relay R'is supplied with a uni-directional current from secondary 27 of transformer M during both halves of each cycle; 'This current picks up relay R' to close contact .1515", and the relay stays picked up as long as the tubes reinaincondu'cting. 'Due to the periodic variations inthetrackway current, it is apparent that the clectroinotive force induced in secondary 30 is also periodically varied, and it follows that the tubes VJ and l/Vare period.

' ically rendered conducting and non-conduct ing at the frequency of variation of the current in the trackway. RelayrR therefore operates atthe frequency of variation oi? the train controlling current to alternately close its front and. back contacts 1515" and 1515, and the remainder of the associated apparatus functions as previously described in connection with Fig. 1.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms ofrailway trafii c controllingapparatus embodying my invention it isund'erstood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within thescop'e oft-he appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my in "cntion. Having thus descr ibed my invention, what i I claim is: r

1. Railway [trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a'stretch of railway'track, means for attimessupplyingthe rails of said stretch I withitrain controlling current, a train carried A tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid'in a medium-whicht'orms a conducting path between said electrodes. when and only when the potential. between 3 the electrodes exceeds a value which depends on the relative potential of the grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a source of alternating electromotive force on the train, a relay, means including said relay for conecting said source across said electrodes, means for varying the relative potential of said grid with respect to said oneelectrode in accordance with the train controlling current supplied to said rails, and traffic governing means controlled by said relay.

2. Railway tratlie controlling apparatus comprising means for supplyingalternating current to the trackway,1neans for periodically varying said supply at diiierent frequencies, a train carried tube colnprising a first and second spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium whichforms a conducting path between said electrodeswhen and only when the potential between the electrodes exceeds a value which depends on the relative potential of said grid with respect to said first electrode, a relay, a source of alternating electromotive force connected across said electrodes in series with said relay, means connected with the grid of said tube and receiving energy from the trackway for varying the potential of said grid with respect to said one electrode at the frequency of variation of the current supplied to the rails, and traflic governing means controlled by said relay.

8. Railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising means for supplying alternating current to the trackway, means for periodically varying said supply, a train carried tube comprising a first and second spaced electrc-desand a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path between the electrodes when and only when the potential between the electrodes exceeds a value which depends upon the relative potential of the grid with respect to said first electrode, a first transformer having a primary constantly supplied with alter nating current and two secondaries, a relay, means including said relay for connecting one of said secondaries across said electrodes, a second'transformer having its secondary connected in series with the other secondary of said first transformer between said grid and said first electrode and its primary receiving energy from the trackway at the frequency of variation ofsaid supply, and traffic govern ing means controlled by said relay.

4 Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for at times supplying the rails of said stretch with periodically varying alternating current,

I a train-carried tube comprising a first and second spaced electrodes and a grid in a mediuinwhich forms a conducting path between said'electrodes when and only when the potential between the electrodes exceeds a value which depends on the relative potential of the grid with respect to the first electrode, means controlled by energy received from the trackway, for varyingthe potential of said grid withrespect to said-ionel electrode at a frequency wh-ich depends-upon-the frequency ofvariation of't'he current supplied to-the rails, a relay, a train-carried sourc'eof alternating current connected across said electrodes in series" with said relay, and tratlic governing means controlled byfsai'd relay.

5: Railway trzrtlic controlling apparatus coniprisiii'ga" stretch of railway track, means for supplying the-rais r said stretch with periodically varyingalternating current, a-

train-carriecltube comprising two spacedel'ectrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting-path between the electrodes when andonl y when thepotential between tlie'electrodes; exceeds a value which depends on'the relative potential ofthe grid with respectto one of said electrodes, a first source of alter"- nating electromotive force on' the train, a re- I lay, means including" said relay for connecting' id source across said electrodes,a second sourceof electromotive force on the train,a transformer having its primary supplied with energy from the trackway at the frequency of variation of'the current in the track rails and hav-ingjits secondary connectedln series with said second train-carried source across said grid and said one-electrode, andtrailicgoverntrodes, means located on the train and receiv- V as ing energy from the track rails for impressing across said grid and said one electrode an electromotive force which renders said tube conducting at the frequency of variation of the current in the track rails, and train-carried governing means selectively responsive to the frequency at which said tube becomes conductin 7. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for at times supplying the rails of said stretch with train controlling current which is periodically varied zit-different frequencies, a train-carried tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path between the electrodes when and only when the potential across the electrodes exceeds a value which 7 depends on the relative potential of said grid with respect to one of said electrodes, means for impressing across said electrodes an alternating electromotive force, means for impressing an electromotive force across-said grid and said one electrode, means for periodically varying the electromotive force impressed across said grid and-said oneelectrode in accordance with the variationin the current in'the track rails, and traflic 'govern-- ing means controlled by said-tube and selectivelyresponsive to the frequency of variation ofjthe current in thecur'rent between such electrodes. g I p 8. In combination, astretch of railway track, means for at times supplyingthe railsof said stretch with train controlling current:

which is periodically "varied at different frequencies, a train-carried grid glow tube comprising'two spaced electrodes and a grid in a mediumwhich forms a conducting path between the electrodes when and only when the potential across the electrodes exceeds a i value which depends on the relativevpoten tial ofsaid grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a resistance, means connected with said grid and including saidresistance for varying the relative potential of said grid with respect to said one electrode at the ire quency of variation ofthetrain control-ling current, a source of alternating'electromotive force on the train, a relay, means 1nclud1ngsaid relay for connecting said source'acros's' said electrodes, and traffi c governing ineans controlled by said relay; 1

9; Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch ofira'ilv'vay track, means for at times supplying the rails ofsaid stretchwith current, atube comprisingtwo-"spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a'conducting path between said ele'c trodes whenand only when the" potentia -Lbst'ween'the electrodes exceeds a value which dependsupon the relative potential of thegrid with respect to one of said electrodes; a

source of alternatingelectromotive force, a

relay, means including said relay for con meeting said source across said electrodes,

means for varying the relative potential'of said grid with respect'to said one electrode in accordance with the'current in the track rails, and governing means controlled by said rel.ay.-

10(Railway trafiic controlling apparatuscomprising a source of current- Which is periodically varied, a tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid 111 a medium which forms a conducting path between-said electrodes when and only when the potential betweenlthe electrodes exceeds a value which depends upon the relative potential o-f the grid with respect to one of said electrodes, ,a

source of alternating electromotive force, a"

relay, means including said relay for, connecting said source across said electrodes, means for varying therelative potential of.

said gridwith respect to-said one electrode at the frequency of variations of current riodically "varied at diil'eront frequencies, a

' tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path between said electrodes when and only when the potential between the electrodes exceedsa value which depends upon the relative potential of the grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a source of electromotive force, a relay, means including said relay for connecting said source across said electrodes, means connected with the g id of said tube and receiving energy from the trackway for varying the potential of said grid with respect to said one electrode at the frequency of variation of the current supplied to the rails, and trafiic governing means selec-tii' ely responsive to the frequency of operation of said relay.

12 Railway trafiic controlling apparatus ccomprising'means for supplying the track rails with alternating current which is periodically varied at diilerent frequencies, a tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a gridin a medium which formsa conducting path between said electrodes when and only when the potential between the electrodes exceeds a value which depends upon the relative potential of the grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a source of electromotive force connected across said electrodes, means receiving energy from the track rails for impressing across saidigrid andsaid one electrode an electroniotiv-e force which renders said tube conducting at the frequency of variation of the current in the track rails, and governing means selectively responsive to the Irequency atwhich said tube becomes conducting.

135111 combination, a train-carried tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path between said electrodes when and only when the potential between said electrodes exceeds a value which depends on the relative potential of said grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a source of electromotive force on thetrain, a relay, means including said relay for connecting said source across said electrodes, means connected between said grid and said one electrode for normally causing the relative potential of said grid with respect to said one electrode to have a value which renders said tube non-conduct ing, means located partlyon the train and partly in the trackway for at times changing the relative potential of said grid with respectto said one electrode to a value which renders said tube conducting, and governing means on the train controlled by said relay.

' 14. In combination, a'train-carried tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path betwen said electrodes when and only when the potential between the electrodes exceeds a value which depends upon the relative potential of said grid with respect to one of said electrodes, a source of electromotivc force on the train, a relay, means including said relay for connecting said source across said electrodes, means located partly in the trackway for controlling the relative potential of said grid with respect to said one electrode, and governing means controlled by said relay.

15. In combination, a train-carried tube comprising two spaced electrodes and a grid in a medium which forms a conducting path between the electrodes when and only when the negative potential of the grin with respect to one such electrode is below a predetermined value, a source of electromotive force on the train, a relay, means including said relay for connecting said electrodes across said source, means located partly in the trackway for controlling the negative po tential of said g 'd with respect to one such electrode, and governing means controlled by said relay.

In testimony whereof I aliiz-t my signature.

PAUL H. GEIGER. 

